Although it's still cold outside in many part of the world—and an article about allergies might seem premature—it's never too early to prepare your body for all of the sneezing, sniffling, and itching we tend to experience each Spring. And when it comes to allergies, allergy-related symptoms, and diseases with an allergic component (like asthma), it's in our nature to seek simple answers. But oftentimes our quick remedies and pills leave us unsatisfied, and that's because allergies are not simple. They are a complex, knotty interaction between our genes, our environment, and most importantly—the bacteria in our gut.

This leads many of us to constantly seek more natural treatments for our allergy symptoms like honey, vitamins A and C, or even the neti pot. However, it's important to understand seasonal allergies are a symptom of another, bigger problem. What we really need address is why our body is grappling with certain stimuli in the air, in our food, and on our skin.

1. The Hygiene Hypothesis

We can't deny that infections were an enormous problem and that the discovery of penicillin and other antibiotics helped dramatically, but in recent years, we may have swung the pendulum a little bit too far toward cleanliness and sterility. Not all bacteria are harmful, and humans are living organisms with an entire ecosystem of bacteria in, on, and around us—making up our microbiota. Killing bacteria with our cleanliness rituals has led to our immune systems becoming hypervigilant and the dial is turned up toward overreacting to even innocuous stimuli. So we become sensitized to our own natural surroundings and food. Who would have thought that a world without antibiotics, sterilized water, antiseptics, hand sanitizers, sewers, and sanitation would actually protect us from allergies?

2. Vitamin D deficiency

Low vitamin D levels and its inability to be utilized in the cells is associated with an increase in allergies. Simply increasing your exposure to sunlight and the vitamin D in your diet may be enough; however, vitamin D supplementation in conjunction with addressing our gut health problems seems to be the best combination therapy.

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3. Antibiotics

The exposure to antibiotics during pregnancy or the early stages of life increases the incidence of atopy, eczema, and colic in children. The mechanism is thought to be due to changes in the balance of the good and bad bacteria—leading to dysbiosis and leaky gut.

4. Breastfeeding

Breastfed infants have less colic, eczema, and allergies than bottle-fed infants. This is because breast milk is rich in immunoglobulins that help us develop balanced immune systems. Ideally, our immune system will protect us from harmful bacteria and not overreact to benign substances, which is what happens with allergies.

5. Birthing history

Children born vaginally are at an advantage when it comes to colic, allergies, and infections compared to children born through cesarean section. The mother's birth canal bacteria seems to protect the infant from future allergic health problems.

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6. Microbiome imbalance

Once the harmony with our gut bacteria is upset it is feasible to rebalance this; however, it does require a five-prong approach:

1. Remove

Remove the eight most common foods that cause allergies and sensitivities. This includes but is not limited to gluten, dairy, peanuts, corn, soy, shellfish, eggs, and nightshades.

2. Replace

Replace digestive enzymes and acid to help break down food efficiently. This allows the good bacteria to perform their activities, keeps our vitamin levels in a good place, and helps balance our hormones.

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3. Reinoculate

Replace bacteria by adding probiotics, understanding that the probiotics' efficacy is dependent on other dietary changes.

4. Repair

Institute a detox and repair mechanism using herbs and protein. This can reduce inflammation in the gut and cleanse the liver so it can do a more efficient job of detoxing.

5. Reintroduce

Slowly reintroduce the foods removed to see which affect the gut adversely, and then avoid those foods in the long term.

Though I have tried to simplify the process in this article, it's important to understand that when the body exhibits symptoms—even ones as benign as allergies—it's important to take notice. Allergies are a simple expression from your body that it's unbalanced and a warning sign of a future autoimmune disorder. So instead of treating them with medications, let's rebuild your health to get back to living in harmony with your surroundings.